User blog:Killermoves/Edward Hogger (Civil War: Secret Missions) vs Nabeshima Mochizuru (Total War Shogun 2: Fall of the Samurai)
Hey I'm back! I know my first battle was not received well because it was lopsided, but now I have returned with yet another action-packed bloodfilled blog! Every country and culture has a history of civil wars, and not all of them are pretty. Its brother going up against brother in your own land. Some civil wars and celebrated by patriots while others are condemned for their brutality. And in World History the most famous of these civil wars are the American Civil War and the Japanese Boshin War. But I'm not here to teach history. I'm here to pit two video game heroes who fought in their respective countries' civil wars in a battle to the death. EDWARD HOGGER! The scout who infiltrated and ravaged Confederate lands in History Civil War Secret Missions versus NABESHIMA MOCHIZURU! The daimyo who took down the shogun in Total War: Shogun 2 The Fall of the Samurai Let's find out who... is... THE DEADLIEST WARRIOR! Edward Hogger Edward Hogger is a silent member of Captain Blazer's scouts under Lt. Richard R. Blazer. He had a major participation in infiltration and destruction of Jackson, Mississippi during the Battle of Jackson. The Mississippi capital was the primary manufacturer of materials and resources for the Confederate military, and its destruction was of utmost importance for the Union. Union General Sherman sent out his army to capture Jackson, but before that a specialized group of men were tasked to get inside the city and weaken its defenses. Hogger's history prior to this battle is unknown, but he is noted by Union generals for being an excellent shot and his ability to infiltrate enemy territory. He was one of those handpicked for the campaign. Hogger had to fight through Confederate defenders and blow up key artillery positions. His efforts led to the capture of Jackson, Mississippi. The Blazer's Scouts would continue performing missions for the Union, including an attack on Lewisburg. Melee=Rifle Butt For melee, Hogger and his men preeminently used the butt of their rifles as a bludgeoning weapon. They do this by performing what is known as a "butt-stroke" (no sexual connections) in which a soldier slams the butt of his rifle into an opponent's face without the need to swing it like an actual club. |-|Short= Colt Army Model 1860 A cap-and-ball pistol that fires .44 cal round bullets on a 6-round cylinder. It has a range of 50-75 yards and is single-action. The Colt .44-caliber “Army" Model was the most widely used revolver of the American Civil War. |-|Mid= Colt Revolving Rifle For closer ranges, Hogger used the classic colt revolving rifle. It has a 5-round cylinder magazine that fires .56 caliber bullets. Hogger's rifle is unique in that it can be reloaded by swapping loaded cylinder magazines than loading them one at a time, making it faster to reload. |-|Long= Henry Repeating Rifle The legendary rifle that Yanks "load on a Sunday and shoot all week." The Henry rifle is a rimfire lever action rifle that fires .44 cal Henry bullets in a 15-round tube magazine located under the barrel. It is reloaded with one stroke of a lever. It has a range of 100+ yards. |-|Special= Sharps Field Rifle The Sharps rifle is a single-shot breech-loaded rifle that fires .52 caliber minie balls at a range of 500-1000 yards (although the longest yard is said to be a mile). Hogger's sharps field rifle is reloaded with the use of paper cartridge that makes it faster to reload and fire, and it has a bayonet attached to it as well. Nabeshima Mochizuru During the Boshin War, when much of Japan was embroiled in fighting between those who supported the military dictatorship known as the Shogun, and the more rightful rulers of the Imperial Court, the Saga domain is ruled by Nabeshima Mochizuru, the latest in a line of daimyo who were given this territory after the Tokugawa won the vicious civil war of the Sengoku Jidai. Nabeshima Mochizuru is one of the playable historical characters in the Total War: Shogun series. Mochizuru sided with the Imperialists, and led his armies in fighting Shogunate forces in the South. The domain includes the port of Nagasaki, a valuable resource for any daimyo. It is here that Japan has its only official trade with the West, and it is here that interesting ideas arrive in the country. Perhaps this knowledge of the harshness of the outside world is what has convinced the Nabeshima to throw their weight behind the Imperial Court rather than the Shogun. The Nabeshima clan can rely on a few advantages in the coming struggle: they have Western connections and trade that is far ahead of any other domain. In turn, this learning allows them to be artillery experts, and have good shipbuilding and industrial facilities. Melee=Katana When Mochizuru and his men run out of ammunition or forced to fight hand-to-hand, they can quickly drop their firearms and draw their katanas in a flash. The Katana has a 25 inches long blade that is single-edged. And is known to be one of the sharpest swords in existence. |-|Short= Smith & Wesson Model 2 The Smith and Wesson Model 2 is a small .32 caliber pistol. It has a 6-round cylinder and is single action. What makes Mochizuru's pistols unique is that it is reloaded by swapping cylinders, making it very fast to reload. |-|Mid= Yumi Bow The Boshin War was a time of great changes in Japan. While new and modern Western tech was slowly being adapted, traditional weapons from the Sengoku Jidai were still in use. One of these was the Yumi Bow that samurai have been using even before the advent of the katana. It fires arrows (duh) at a range of 50+ yards, although its range can increase further by firing it upwards. The arrows can also be set in fire to add more damage. WHile the bow lacks range, it makes up for its ability to rain down on enemies under cover or behind a hill. |-|Long= Spencer Repeating Rifle Traded from Americans, the Spencer repeating rifle is the most used repeating rifle in the Boshin War. It fires .56-56 Spencer rimfire from a 7-round tube amgazine located in the butt stock. Unlike modern day rifles, the Spencer is fired by cocking the lever and manually cocking the hammer. It can be reloaded in the butt stock individually or with the use of tubular speedloaders. |-|Special= Fusil Modèle 1866 Chassepot A high power single-shot bolt-action rifle. The Chassepot fires paper cartridge 11m bullets at a range of 1,300 yards. It was one of the guns imported by Imperial Forces from France. X-Factors Hogger vs Mochizuru 60 - Leadership - 90 Hogger was not really a leader and more of a soldier taking orders from his higher ups. Even his rank is unknown so it is hard to decide how much command he has. Nonetheless we never really see him do any leadership duties in the game. Mochizuru might not be the best leader in the Total War Shogun, but he was effective enough in leading armies across battles and persuading politics to his favor. He made Nagasaki one of the strongest and most vital points in the Boshin War. 90 - Training and Experience - 80 It is by no means that Mochizuru was untrained. Like many daimyos he must had samurai training in his youth. However, during the Boshin War he was more of a leader and strategist than a down and dirty fighter. Edward Hogger probably has mroe fighting experience since he was noted for being a great shot and trained in the art of infiltration. This meant that Hogger's training and experience were more specialized and covert than any other infantrymen. 80 - Supplies - 75 These two characters are armed with the best weapons their country can give them. But Hogger's weapons and supplies are newer and more advanced. While Mochizuru has an advantage since he was buying new weapons from across the globe in his port cities, he was still dependent on age old weapons. Battle Hogger: Mochizuru: It was in the mid 19th century. War is brewing again in the East, and the Western powers are itching to get involved and show its force. Large numbers of American platoons have been told by Washington to sail to Japan and assist the factions who are allied to the USA. Five Union soldiers under Edward Hogger has just landed in a Japanese port. They were tasked by command to ride into a Japanese town and rendezvous with a group of Japanese commanders. They arrived in a small Japanese plain, before dismounting and setting up camp to rest. Little did they know, a group of Japanese samurai were strolling in the area to survey the place. These men were under the command of Nabeshima Mochizuru, who were doing recon there for any Bakufu soldiers. They spot the Americans resting and thought that they were mercenaries. Mochizuru ordered his archers to rain down arrows unto the unsuspecting Union soldiers. The arrows hit the Americans, with one of them getting shot in the eye and dying in pain. Hogger, though surprised, managed to get his men to retreat behind a hill. The samurai then chased them. As the samurai charged, the Union opened fire with their Henry rifles. One samurai who was already getting close was shot in the chest and died. The samurai dived into the ground and fought back with their chassepots. The bolt action’s range and accuracy overpowered the Union soldiers. One was hit in the abdomen and went down clutching his guts in pain before dying. Hogger grabbed his Sharps rifle and personally took aim. He spots a samurai crawling in the grass and shot him in the temple. But to the surprise of Hogger, Mochizuru has gotten his men to sneak around the hill and ambush the Americans. The Japanese daimyo’s genius in tactics has paid off. And one Union soldier got shot in the chest with a spencer, and Mochizuru personally killed another with his smith and wesson pistol. Before the Japanese could wipe them out, Hogger has already bolted away. He took refuge inside a thin woodland and took cover behind some bamboo. The samurai pushed forward in search of him. But now Hogger was more careful. He used his training as a marksman and scout to ambush the samurai. He pumped five bullets into a samurai with his Henry rifle, before quickly drawing his colt pistol and emptying its cylinders on the face of another unsuspecting samurai. Mochizuru saw this, and with rage, charged at Hogger with his katana. Hogger tried to shoot him with his pistol but it was empty, so he rolled out of the way just in time to get his Henry. Hogger blocked a downward slash by Mochizuru, before bashing him in the face with his rifle butt which made the Japanese fall on the ground. Hogger then shot Mochizuru twice in the chest. With his opponent dead, Hogger silently walked away to complete his secret mission. Expert’s Opinion Hogger won because he had the better repeating rifles and training at his disposal. Mochizuru may be a talented strategist but in the field, Hogger’s specialized training made him superior. Category:Blog posts